Gold fever doesn’t phase Karangahake community

The Karangahake community has vowed to double the resistance in its bid to stop mining in the Karangahake Gorge, following gold mining company New Talisman’s claim to have have “struck gold” this week. Karangahake local Susan Durcan says;

“No matter how much gold they find it will not change the fact that kiwis are being shut out of conservation land, so that a small few can profit.”

“While New Talisman spouts hype about their gold find, what they don’t realise is that our community, and communities all across New Zealand are driving the movement to restore the mana of their conservation land and our resolve is only growing stronger - that’s what’s important here,” she says.

"While New Talisman have locked the gate to conservation land, and proceeded to hunt for gold, New Zealanders are standing up in ever growing numbers around the country and demanding that their conservation land be protected - the recent derailing of plans for the Ruataniwha dam is just one example”.

Protect Karangahake spokesperson Duncan Shearer says the true value of Mt Karangahake lies in its forest and waterways.

“The Karangahake Gorge is one of the most popular DOC sites in New Zealand - what sort of message does it send to overseas visitors about how much we value our natural resources?”

“It is part of the conservation estate and is an important ecological corridor. We need to protect this land from toxic gold mining industries and shift towards an economy that offers sustainable and environmentally beneficial industries, like tourism,” he says

ENDS

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